South Coast Surf Competition

While at the South Coast Surfing Championships at the weekend this trophy reappeared having not been seen since the early 90’s. On the trophy there are little shields listing all the previous winners going back to 1973. We would love to find out who the winners of the championship were prior to 1973 and obviously all the winners since. The last one on the trophy is Stuart Jones in 1991. I remember Craig Sharp winning it back in 1994 and Johnny Fryer was also a winner of the South Coast too. Please let me know if you have information of any others.

South Coast Surfing Championships

Individual Winners

Presented by

The Shore Surf Club

1973 – Eric Davies – Shore Surf Club

1974 – Roger Preston – Wessex Surf Club

1975 – Guy Penwarden – Wessex Surf Club

1976 – Rodney Sumpter – Shore Surf Club

1977 – Guy Penwarden – Wessex Surf Club

1978 – Guy Penwarden – Wessex Surf Club

1979 – Guy Penwarden – Wessex Surf Club

1982 – Paul Wiltsher – Shore Surf Club

1983 – Nick Schofield – Brighton Surf Club

1984 – Guy Penwarden – Wessex Surf Club

1985 – Rob Vaughan – Harbour Surf Club

1986 – Nick castle – Wessex Surf Club

1987 – Brian Haugh – Shore Surf Club

1990 – Dereck Dear – Wessex Surf Club

1991 – Stuart Jones – Isle of Wight Surf Club

I also have come across a report from the 1994 South Coast Surfing Championships held here at Niton on the Isle of Wight and have copied it here.

South Coast Surf Competition

After being postponed twice because of the lack of competitors and then surf, the South Coast Surf Comp was finally held on the weekend of November 19 & 20. Surfers from the Island and mainland competed at Niton in a good size wave 2 – 6 foot, helped considerably by the S.W. 5 – 6 wind.

There were a total of 30 competitors, a small number having travelled from ‘over the water’. The competition categories were Longboard, Open and Junior. The Longboard and Open had 4 heats – 1st and 2nd placed surfers going straight into the semi finals – 3rd and 4th placed surfers going ino the repercharge. The Juniors had the semi final and then a final.

Open – The tide had dropped back considerably, and the waves were a good deal smaller than they had been earlier on when the semi’s were held. A close fought competition with the eventual winner being Craig Sharp, beating the 1991 South Coast winner Stuart Jones to second place. Third was Ross Williams and fourth Paul Blackley.

Longboard – Three mainland surfers – Matt Terry, Simon Wilkins and Eric Davies along with well known Island surfer (and surf club chairman) Ray Hutchings, made it to the final. Another close contest, the victor being 1st Matt Terry, 2nd Eric Davies, 3rd Simon Firley and 4th Ray Hutchings.

The competition was sponsored by Sola, G & S clothing and Offshore Sports. The winners and runners up receiving prizes ranging from bags and sweatshirts to vouchers for £20 .00-£100.00 to use to purchase a new Sola wetsuit.

The owners of the Castlehaven Caravan site were very hospitable. Snacks and hot drinks were very welcome amongst the cold surfers and damp spectators.

FULL LIST OF RESULTS

Open

Craig Sharp

Stu Jones

Ross Williams

Paul Blackley

Longboard

Matt Terry

Eric Davies

Simon Firley

Ray Hutchings

Juniors

Ross Williams

Craig Sharp

Nick Dennington

Ian Wardle

Longboard Master – Eric Davies

U16 – Nick Dennington

U14 – John Fryer

Junior Longboard – Richard Balding

Open Master – Eric Davies

Comments about South Coast Contest

Oops!! – Everyone saw the ten foot sleeper, bobbing past Castlehaven on Sunday everyone it seemed except for Ray!! CRASH ! Ray did a neat little manoeuvre straight into the path of the king sized log. Consequence, one flattened fin! Must be the underpants!!!!!!!!!!!

Testy Rigsy! – Chris – you ‘performed’ really well on Sunday morning, when Big C sent you out to test the paddle out and strong rip. Shame you didn’t ‘perform’ so well in the heats – what happened?

Unlucky – Recently returned from living in Newquay – it was almost a foregone conclusion that with his longboarding skills, Alan Reed would reach the longboard final. Or so it would have seemed. Unfortunately after two unintentional interferences, one in the first heat, and second in the semi’s it was a shame to se him knocked out.

Little’un – Well done to ten year old John Fryer from Brighstone. He was by far the youngest and the smallest competitor in the competition. He surfed in tough conditions over the weekend, but came away with the prize for the best cadet surfer.

BANG, BUMP, CRASH, SMASH – To all those hits and near misses – which involved short boarders, longboarders, surf skiers and bodyboarders – COME TO OFFSHORE SPORTS for all your ding and repair kit needs.

2 Responses to “South Coast Surf Competition”

Oh , I remember that weekend alright …
I parked my van in The Buddle car park , as it was packed down below , and I cadged a lift down with Ray.
I was knocked out in the longboard semi’s but I was due to compete in the Masters open. Before the longboard final Kerri was worried that it might get too big and messy , and wanted someone to check Shanklin. Everyone else’s van/car was stuck there , and I was the only one with a vehicle up the top , so I volunteered to go. Eric Davies knew this as I spoke with him just before I left , regarding surfing against him in the Masters final. I went , Shankin was crap , and I returned … Not only did I miss watching the longboard final , but I also found out that after that final a certain Mr Eric Davies had suddenly decided he had to get back to the mainland asap. He had already left , but not before he had persuaded Ceri to let him paddle out on his own , on his shortboard , catch a wave and thus ‘win’ the Masters open , while I was checking the conditions at Shanklin !
He must have wanted that little trophy really bad , hahahahahahahaha . I quizzed him about it a year or so later in Devon , but he pretended not to know what I was talking about. Left a bad taste in my mouth at the time , but it makes me laugh now , as he knows that I know what he did that day. Goodnight Eric !
Oh yeah , another thing I remember about the South Coast Championships at Niton , was a little dog dropping a big steamy turd right on Alan Reed’s waxed up board !

i do remember that! and what about niton dog getting his oats while ceri was doing the prize giving? classic comp prob some of the best waves i remember for a contest on the island! wicked one for tracking down all this stuff

Project contributors

About Wight Surf History

The Wight Surf History Project aims to document and celebrate 50 years of surfing on the Isle of Wight. It will tell the story of how surfing arrived and evolved on the Island, and the characters involved over the years. The contributors are two local surfers and photographers, Jason Swain & Paul Blackley and the project is supported by the 'West Wight Landscape Partnership'.